Nine Months to Get In Shape

Training Beginners
1

Hello Everyone…

Currently I’m 27 male and I weigh 157 lbs and 20% bodyfat, most of the bodyfat around the waist at 35". Haven’t worked out consistently in over 4 years now, just started back at the gym. Use to weight 160lbs at 10% bodyfat and 31-32 inch waist.

In May of next year I’m going to a friends wedding down south and I want to be in the best possible shape. I just don’t know if I should cut down to begin or should I just start to bulk, the only problem being I hate my 35" waist right now…

Please help me with the cut/bulk question and also critique my diet/workout plan

My current diet plan is:

530am - protein shake, 1 cup skim milk, 1 tbsp udo’s oil and piece of fruit

830am - 1/2 cup cottage cheese, oatmeal

1130am - 2 slices bread, peanut butter, honey and 250ml skim milk

1pm - workout

2pm - recovery shake (20g protein, 40g dextrose) no dextrose on cardio day

3pm - 1/2 cup rice/chicken/veggies

6pm - fish/pork/steak with salad or veggies

9pm - 500ml milk

Added supplements (liver tablets, multi vitamin, vitamin C)

Current Workout Plan - 3 sets each exercise

Monday - Back (pullups, machine rows, close grip pulldowns)
- Biceps (Barbell curls, preacher bench curl
- Hyperextensions

Tuesday - 40 minutes cardio

Wednesday - Chest (bench press,incline db press, flat flys)
- Triceps (dips, one arm extensions)

Thursday - 40 minutes cardio

Friday - 40 minutes cardio

Saturday - Legs (squats, thigh extensions, ham curls and calf raises)

Thanks!

Dennis

2

To address the cutting/bulking question: do NOT bulk first. Overweight people who try to bulk first will typically gain 3-4 lbs of fat for every pound of muscle gained. That’s a crappy ratio no matter how you look at it; you’ll want to focus on leaning out first, while trying to maintain as much muscle mass as possible. This is tricky, but can be done with the proper diet.

Try the V-Diet http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1295181 or the T-Dawg All Articles - T NATION for starters.

As a matter of fact, go read the “Are You a Beginner II” thread on this forum; it’s got tons of great links to both good programs and good diets. Things to keep in mind: make sure your carbs come from clean sources (oatmeal, dense whole wheat bread, brown rice), get 1-2 g/lb of bodyweight of protein (so 160-320 g per day for you), and watch the milk intake. I can’t tell how many kcals you’re getting in total per day, but be aware that the ~33 oz of milk you’re drinking per day has 350 kcal and 50g of carbs. My semi-educated guess is that you should start cutting some of the carbs from your diet, given that you eat honey, peanut butter, milk, rice oatmeal and dextrose daily.

As for your workout program, you want fewer machines and more compound exercises. Drop the ham curls and start deadlifting. Those bicep/tricep/calf isolation exercises should probably go too - they aren’t nearly as efficient (work fewer muscles, meaning fewer calories are burned) as compounds. Face pulls, straight-arm pulldowns, fat boy pull-ups and push-up variations are all great things to add in.

3

He’s 157 friggin lbs he dont need no crazy diet, Just nail a solid diet and work hard transform back into the old you. if you go and try and shed fat and be ripped youll just be tiny skin and bones unless your friin 4’5" or something

clean it up work damn hard and be consistent

Phill

4

I agree with Phil. 157 isn’t that much weight for any normal height. You’re probably just currently skinny fat. I don’t think you really have to follow any strict bulk or cut routine to return to 160 at 10% bf. Solid nutrition and training will get you there by May.